“I tried some different tricks to try and make it carry better here and there, but I didn’t necessarily want to make too big of a move,” Pluhowsky said. “I was fortunate to be able to win a lot of matches (14), and the bonus pins were a big help.”
It also helped that Pluhowsky was one of the few left-handers in the field.
“That definitely helps because you can kind of stay in the same area,” she said. “By match play, I just wanted to stay clean and bowl 210s.”
The field at the BPAA All-Star Tournament included 75 bowlers, all of whom bowled 18 qualifying games over three days, before being cut to the top 16 players for 16 games of round-robin match play.
“The lanes weren’t easy this week, and you didn’t need a lot of big games stay close,” Pluhowsky, 31, said.
Pluhowsky and Zavjalova battled for the top spot in the standings throughout match play with Pluhowsky coming out on top in both head-to-head matches to secure the No. 1 seed.
“I’d much rather be first and take my chances in one match,” she said.
Senior Women's U.S. Open: Pluhowsky wasn't the only local bowler who had success at The Cherry Bowl as Linda Kelly and Mandy Wilson both posted top 10 finishes at Bowling's Senior Women's U.S. Open in Rockford on July 24.
Kelly, a USBC Hall of Famer, advanced to the stepladder finals, falling to Lucy Sandelin, 254-167, to finish fourth. Mandy Wilson – who fell just shy of the stepladder finals – finished sixth.
Paula Vidad, successfully defended her Senior Women’s U.S. Open title with a 234-210 win against USBC Hall of Famer Tish Johnson.
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